Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-08-24
oNE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
The stage in its PaImy Days---lts Bril-
Ia,tt Orb- and GalaNie--

ono of the most brilliant orbs in th'
galaxy OF genius furnished by the stag'
NEls Mrs. Sidd0us. Her conquests were
of a kind which Irving, Bernhardt ol
cly other living artist must despair ol
achieving. They give US some idea OF
the impression which could be produc'
cd by exceptional powers in those days
which, in more ways than one, are now
Cmphltically of the past. What would
one not give, lust as student Of human
nature, to have such an actress play rs
she PLAYED "A hundred years ago for but
one night. Mrs. Siddons began by eN-
ugrienrin- the bitterness of failure IN
London, but shortly afterward was
winning golden opinions IN Bath Soon
she was before q London audience
again iu isabella, or the Fatal Mar
rtagc.~ For eight nights the play was
acted, and still every time she appear
ell the tide of popular favor ran higher.
-TLe box office was besieged by people
wanting tickets, and the most ridicu-
l1us stories were told Of the crush. IwC
odd men stationed themselves 10 play
chess 40 all hours 50 Is to secure tickets.
Foo,mcl lJy stretched out asleep from
dawn tO uuy seats for their miStreSSes.
Years aftcrwarl, when, at a great
rlyytug at Edinburgh. Mrs Siddons'
hpaltu WAS proposed. Sir Walter Scott
de cIiEed the scene on one of those far
famed nights - the hreIktastlng neal
the theatre, waiting the whole day, the
crushing mt the doors at q, the getting
boa and counting their fingers TIL I.
but the very first step, the first word
she uttered, was sufficient TO overpay
every one their WEAKNESS. ''IhOSs
Young fellows H said sir Walter, 'whc
have only seen the setting sun of this
performer, beautiful and serene rs II Is.
must give u5 fellows, who have seen ltS
rise. leave 90 hold our heads little
higher"
The period between 11S2 and 179s
SAW Mr.. NIddOus at the height Of heI
>u.euIer, always at work, and reaping /
such rewards as the public favor brings. |
She had extraordinary personal power. /
Young relates that he was once acting
B.r.rLey with Lcr at Edinburgh. They
had reached the fifth act where BercrLg |
EJL swallowed poison, and Bates, comes
boz saying TO the dying man, ''JdrrI<
found You qUarrc,iuE with Je'rS0n in
tine streets last .Eht." lfrS. BersTleg
sly-. No, / ann sure he did not, L.
which Jlrrls replies, "Or II | did?"
meaning, it may be supposed, to add.
"ILu tlu., WAS not with my master. "
but Tie moment Lc utters the words
'-Dr o. did - Mrs. BeUerlsy eXClams:
'.lt Is tal e., old man. They had no
quarrel there was no cause for quar-
reI fu uttgriUE this Mrs. SiddOns {
rIu-H. hold Of .iyrriS and gave the eN-
rlaWJt.uu with such piercing grief that
Young says his throat swelled and his
uttguuCs ClOkrd. lie stood unable to q
repeat the words winch, rs Beuerlsy, he
should have Immediately uttered. The
pr1uut.r went over the speech several -
times, an, go length, Mrs. Siddous, !
coming mp t0 her feIlOw-actor, put the (.
tips OF Lur fingers uu his shOulde. and :,
Mr.. Young, recoIlect =
yourself"
NIarg.aIg relates another instance of :
her power. Iu the last act Of Rnwe'> :,
-Iawgraae, when, 10y order of IN, -
yU.Et Ji.u0sCs, -lSIgSiJ'S lover l. =
Ugu-.eI before Lgr face, she wurAcd =
lgrset up Oh such % pitch of agony that, =.
IS size sank % lfclcss heap before the .
murderer, the audience remained foI a.
DVeul moments awg--truck, then clam
ted FOR the curtain 10 fall, believing
.ur size WAS really dead. Only the 1C
lrueSt assurances at the manager 81
uu.I satisfy them. Holman and the ~
.drr NIUr.tIy were among the Spec,l- Pl
rrs, gaI looked JghJst at each other, "a
tt former MqUlrug- "AlICreIdy, do -
.no, as pale as yOU -
ON another occasion she was perform !e'
.- .'Ileurv NIII'with raw ''super, - u
Au w,Js playing S'Urrg0r. When she 10
armed lIu against giving false testi-
.puy against ul, master her look Wa
D Fl.r. TI
lme of perspriug with terror, and les
Wearing that nothing would induce Or,
m tu meet that WUmIu's ewes again. ~
Mrs. >.Jdous was much above mid Il
.e height, as a girl she was exceeding th
thin and spare, and So she remained IN
ut. she WAS - or 23. sarah Kem- In
Ie would he q E.e woman one of these 10
avs, 20 friend ut her fathers remark
u, provided ~hc could but add flesh To-
"a bones. AMI provided hsr eyes wcr, 81
S small again. This Is, in fact, what sc
Id occur. Her Increasing plumpucSs al
uuudet of angles and made her eve er
asS prominent. and at the age of about y
4 or p she was i'm the prime of her u
marvellous beauty. She had singular N
uergy and elasticity OF motion. Her 10
.eId Was beautifully set on her shoul- dC
cIS. Her features were fine and eN- ID
'rysslNc, the nose % little too long, butt
ounter-hU.Iucct 10y the height of the
ROW Jui a iTmly-mudeled chin. Til, N;
}turuwS were marked and ran straight er
cross the brow, her eyes positively sa
amcd 40 times. y fixed pallor over Al
pyu,I her features IN later days. Ii is fo
.lihcu.t looking It the stately, fine lady d,
aiutvG by G1iushOruugh to imagine n,
he gusts ut passion that cOnvulsed her ca
N the stag. Her voice, as years ma N
Ured its power, WIS capable of every ed
Infection OF feeling, while her articuIa-
Ton was siuEuIrly clear and exact.
mere was no undue raising of the re
once, uo OVERRIDING Of action all was 10
u""e'ale and quiet until passion was bI
tmauutI, and then swift and sudden 80
{ burst forth. 81
In her tity-siNth year she still kept bt
he stage. but Size WAS no longer the "a
exquisite, fragile creature who acted me
n'S u GJrrick's procession. and AZ
WITH her rosy lips, whispered promises
d sWgrimeJtS IN little TOHnJy DiJdm'Sl
ar. The actress had grown stout and &C
UW.t.ay IN person. When she acted IS
s1'...f, and knelt TO the Duke, implor- or
lE mercy for her brother, two attend ar
utS NJl to come forward TO help her tn
.Se' and tn make this appear correct. or
ne same ceremony was gone through ! al
itH Young actress who performed
1e same part and did not need any as
Stance whatever. No
Mrs. ~udons failed sadly in her last ~
ears nu the stage, and felt, in addition ne
D the disabilities of advancing age. the ~
.ruo.s fear OF being supplanted. as To M
certain extent she was by Mrs. Jordan su
MI Miss O'NeiIl Y last picture of az
sr .. is 10y one Of her grandchildren, who
Ills how frequently, on their visits to
eT, Their grandmother would read To -.
lym, giving them the choice of the g
,y- oue evening she read "Othello. - ~
IL "1s stormy night, and the thun- SSf
en- was heard occasionally. and so - -
rand and impressive her look, her r.I -.
'ice' her magnificent eyes, still clear "a.
ld brilliant. 1t was real reading. not I2s
'cldmLtion, and yet the effect was be- -0
'ud anything l could conceive of the
nest acting" This was only the win